The Korea Herald

Gov't to expand tax on plastic surgeries

Aug 9, 2013

The government said Friday it will impose tax on more plastic surgeries starting next year, in line with its tax code overhaul aimed at broadening the tax revenue base.Starting in March of 2014, Seoul will expand its 10 percent value-added tax on plastic surgeries to include more procedures such as jaw reconstruction surgery, pimple treatment and hair removal, the country's health and finance ministries said.Current rules on tax have only applied to a limited number of operations, such as liposu
Woman returns fortune to society

Jul 16, 2013

Earning money is not just about acquiring personal wealth for You Hyun-ju. The self-made businesswoman returned her 7 billion won ($6.3 million) poultry business to society in 2011 in the form of social enterprise. She uses 70 percent of its profits for charity and public causes. Nearly half of her employees are poor, elderly and social vulnerable people. “There is no such thing as ownership over money. We can only keep it temporarily,” the chief executive of Doome Sangol Farming told The Korea
Hyundai Department donates W100m for children

Jul 16, 2013

Hyundai Department Store Co. donated 100 million won ($89,400) to Save the Children on Monday. The fund was raised from savings in treatment costs for food waste from restaurants and employee cafeterias in 13 branches across the nation. The retailer campaigned to reduce food waste for 100 days. Under a matching grant program, it chipped in 120 won for every 120 kilograms of food waste reduced. The donation will be spent to buy snacks and foods for less fortunate children who will stay at welfare
Youngsters to offer services in Uzbekistan

Jul 16, 2013

Korean youngsters and college students will provide community services in Uzbekistan, Friend Asia, a local nonprofit organization that supports central Asia, said Tuesday. A service corps of 40 volunteers aged 15 to 24, divided in two groups, will visit two villages in the country on July 23 and offer services there until Aug. 3. Their trip is being paid for by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.They will work at a children’s center and an IT education facility, both built by South Korea
LG Electronics provides free vaccinations in Ethiopia

Jun 18, 2013

LG Electronics has launched a vaccination campaign in Ethiopia that will run until the end of this year. Commencing on International Day of the African Child on June 16, the company has promised to do collaborative projects such as increasing public awareness and providing free vaccinations with International Vaccine Institute to reduce acute diarrhea in major cities in the Oromia region of Ethiopia where there is a high risk of cholera. As part of its efforts, they invited around 50 children an
Actress Kim Jung-eun campaigns for children awaiting adoption

Jun 18, 2013

Celebrated actress Kim Jung-eun and the Social Welfare Society on Monday held a charity bazaar to promote domestic adoption at the organization’s back garden in southern Seoul. The actress, currently the face of Ttasamo, an entertainers’ charity group, promoted the sales kiosk of baby goods company 0to7. The kiosk sold 250 million won ($220,000) worth of items on the day. The proceeds will go to feed and provide comfortable living environments for infants waiting to be adopted. Ga Hee, former le
‘Love before you try to help’

Jun 18, 2013

Dr. Choi Kyung-sook has a special tip for medical volunteers: Listen to patients’ stories first, hold their hands and empathize with them. “A human being consists of a body, mind and soul. To treat someone, we need to reach out to all three aspects, not just the body,” the 63-year-old veteran volunteer told The Korea Herald. Realistically, volunteers cannot provide much medical service in one day. But they can love their patients and make their day happy, Choi explained.“Caring heals their souls
Comfort women overcome their suffering by easing others’ pain

Jun 18, 2013

Koreans donate to women victimized by sex crimes during Vietnam War
Tiny social enterprise aims big

May 21, 2013

Nanum Mill is a tiny rice-cake maker employing only nine people and earning 130 million won ($116,000) in sales. But all in the shop are proudly committed to their goal ― setting an example of how public, private and social sectors can work together to alleviate poverty and cure social ills.The company in Seoul was launched in 2010 with government subsidies and philanthropic support from various institutions. Its revenue has jumped 100 percent each year and employees nearly doubled for the past
[Photo News] Cabbies's service

Apr 16, 2013
Wallpapering for needy households

Apr 16, 2013

There is no place like home. However, if home has mold on the walls and a sagging ceiling, its residents can hardly feel comfortable at all.Before spring flowers fully bloom, a group of volunteers in Dongjak-gu are planning to renovate the homes of needy people in the district with new wallpaper in the hope of bringing a sense of spring freshness. The volunteers are members of a program called “Love House,” which was started in 2000. Each year around 30 volunteers are recruited and around 500 ho
Seoul mayor joins shoe donation campaign

Apr 16, 2013

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon joined a campaign event in Seoul Square Tuesday to raise the importance of shoes for barefooted poor children. The annual campaign, entitled “One Day Without Shoes,” not only promotes the importance of shoes to the health and education of children but also a private company’s drive to give shoes to impoverished kids in underdeveloped countries. Last year, the event was held in 3,000 locations in about 50 countries.In Seoul, TOMS and Seoul City held related events. TOMS
Ryu to establish ‘HJ99’ charity fund for children

Apr 16, 2013

South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers is pushing to create a foundation for less fortunate children. “I am preparing to establish a charity foundation because I want to do good things,” the 26-year-old said Tuesday in Los Angeles, according to a Yonhap news agency report. “It will take about six months to complete the work under the related U.S. laws.”He has already named the charity fund “HJ99 Foundation,” using the initials in his given name and his jersey number, 99. Ry
Musical troupe overcomes disability with sign language, facial expression

Apr 2, 2013

Every show by musical troupe K.SMART ends with a standing ovation, prompted not only by their performance, but also a sense of empathy, inspiration and respect for the performers who are deaf and mute.The Korean Sign-language Musical Art Team consisting of 20 performers with hearing disabilities has been staging musicals for more than a decade at home and abroad. Despite the sophisticated choreography and vivid acting, one essential part of a musical is absent: the performers’ own voices. While
NongHyup launches joint welfare project for farmers

Apr 2, 2013

NongHyup has launched a joint project with several private organizations to provide a package of various welfare services to farmers. The “Farmers’ Happiness Bus” project, launched in a ceremony at NongHyup in Seoul on Tuesday, will offer a combination of medical services, entertainment and cultural performances, free legal counseling and other welfare activities for farmers.Medical services will be provided by Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine and Himchan Hospital. Korea Legal Aid Corp. also